CHAPTER 1

The Problem and Its Setting

Rationale

Technology has been so useful to people since it makes everything easier and

more comfortable. However, it also eliminates the need to do physical activities in daily

life. In a mechanized world, the need to do strenuous physical activity is depleting.

Although the human body is designed to move, it can not be denied that technology

makes things easier (Hoeger and Hoeger, 2000).

Quirino posited that the lifestyle of today’s generation is more on the pressing on

the tabs of the laptop and moving the computer mouse from the left to right. He added

that inactivity like prolonged sitting is being placed in the same danger category as

smoking because of compromising blood circulation. Thus, the lymphatic system can not

activate and collect toxins within the body (2017).

As a result, the body will deteriorate in advance, as the body gets older and will

fall to lifestyle ailments like heart disease, diabetes and hypertension (Tina Juan Fitness).

According to Wolfsont (2002), most children are unsurprisingly curious and

physically energetic and physical movements of the body are significant for a normal

brain progress.

Standage, Duda, & Ntoumamis corroborates that the same goes to children today

who find themselves rather holding a console than sweating it out. Since this study is

aligned to the discipline of education it is imperative that the teaching force should not

only be concern of the intellectual health of the its constituents but the same concern

must go to its physical attribute (2003).

If this impending issue is not solved immediately then more likely these students

become susceptible to overweight, childhood obesity, early high blood pressure,

depression, and other diseases and trepidations. These health concerns can linger for

long periods of time, if not, for a lifetime (Scott, 2008).

 Rivera (1984), states that students must see the importance of becoming

physically fit. They should be taught how to sustain and improve it. Physical fitness is a

constant concern of all but still the hope to move on to a higher level of healthful living

lives on. Thus, this hope thrives for the need to integrate physical activity on a regular

basis into the schools’ curriculum which will serve as a powerful teaching method with an

abundance of benefits.

President Ferdinand Marcos once stated that it is truly vital that there are

immediate steps to ensure that every Filipino child be given the chance to make himself

physically fit. This is to assure that he is fit to learn, fit to understand, fit to grow in grace

and stature, and above all, to fully live and active and meaningful life.

In lieu with said statement, it is simply just to conduct a study to students to

ensure them of what the former Philippine President hopes.

The study assumes that the San Roque College de Cebu- Main Campus Junior High

School Students are sedentary revealing the need to create a physical fitness program in

a form of a weekly “Laro ng Lahi Activity.” The creation of the said physical fitness

program is an aspect in the fitness training of a person so that they will have all the rights

to enjoy most of life’s gifts to its fullest potential. This program aims to normalize the BMI

of the unhealthy students and sustain those who have already achieved it. Lastly, this

physical fitness program benefits not only for the students but also the administration,

faculty and staff who operated the institution through promoting a sound mind and a

healthy body.

Theoretical Background

This study determines the physical fitness status of San Roque College de Cebu-

Main Campus Junior High School Students and generate substantial results to propose a

weekly physical fitness program.

 This study is supported with three theories namely

_______________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________ (write the theories here.)

The perception of Miller (1998) about physical fitness that describes the health

related fitness components such as cardio respiratory endurance, muscular strength and

endurance, flexibility, and composition will be used on this study. Furthermore, the

significance of executing exercises regularly in order to achieve the benefits of physical

fitness in which avoidance of ailments is one (Powers and Dodd, 1997). Committing to

convert the lifestyle from sedentary to active plays an important role in physical fitness

and behavior modification.

As shown in Figure 1, this paper is anchored with the abovementioned theories. It

also uses gender, age, and health status of the San Roque College de Cebu- Main Campus

Grade 12 students as an independent variables. In addition, this paper will determine the

difference of the physical fitness level of the students according to gender, age, and

health status. Also, this will determine the factors that affect physical fitness level of the

respondents. Since the conduction of this study is to show one way to prevent or reduce

the acquisition of diseases, the researcher will use the first type of physical fitness which

is Health Related Physical Fitness that will measure the four following components of

physical fitness- body composition, muscular strength and endurance, flexibility, and

cardio respiratory endurance as the dependent variables. Though there are two types of

physical fitness, the health related and skill related, the researcher chose the related

because this focuses on the health of the Grade 12 students, and not searching for a

prospect athlete which is the main objective of skill related fitness.

Department of Education Order No. 32, S. 1973 ordered all government employees

to engage themselves with physical activities daily. This is centered on the concept that

anyone can develop physical fitness regardless of age, physical built and sex.

Furthermore, while elderly people remain healthy and active, unavoidably they decline in
 agility and other fitness components (Department of Education Order No. 32, S. 1973

cited by De La Torre, 2008).

Miller 1998 DepEd Order No. Powers and

32, s. 1973 Dodd 1997

SAN ROQUE COLLEGE de

CEBU- MAIN CAMPUS
Grade 12 Students
Fitness Level

Independent Independent
Variables Variables

1. Age 1. Age
2. Gender 2. Gender
3. Health Status 3. Health Status
4. Other Factors 4. Other Factors

Physical Fitness
Program
Fig. 1. Schematic Diagram of the Theoretical and Conceptual Framework

The Department order encouraged all government workers as well as students to avoid

sedentary life. Engaging in any physical activities will not just heighten the fitness level

but also will strengthen the person’s health since it is an asset in order to survive.